FACULTY OPPORTUNITIES

Give your students a hands-on experience that connects your course to real tools and real-world skills. 

What It Is

Bring an existing course section to the Innovation Hub for a guided experience led by our staff. Sessions are mapped to your learning outcomes and can run as a single visit or a short series — no technical background required from you or your students. We provide the equipment, materials, and instruction; you bring the class.

What's Available

• Orientation tour: A 30–45 minute walkthrough of the Hub, its six training tracks, and the technology students can access.
• Hands-on workshop: A single session in any track — AI, Robotics, AR/VR, Laser Fabrication, or 3D Printing — built around a concept from your course.
• Badge-aligned series: A multi-session series aligned to an Explorer badge, so students leave with a documented micro credential.

How To Get Started

1. Submit the Faculty Engagement Request Form at least three weeks before your preferred date.
2.  Meet briefly with Hub staff to align the session with your course outcomes and choose a track.
3.  Confirm date, class size, and any prep students should complete beforehand.

What To Expect

• Fully supported: Sessions are staff-led; all equipment and consumable materials are provided.
• Capacity: Space and equipment set the group size — share your enrollment early so we can plan stations or rotations.
• Lead time: Three weeks’ notice for a standard workshop; more for a multi-session or badge-aligned series.

What It Is

Faculty are welcome to use Innovation Hub technology for scholarly and instructional work — prototyping a research apparatus, producing models and manipulatives for class, capturing demonstration media, or simply exploring a tool before building it into your teaching. Some equipment is available for self-directed use after an orientation; other systems, such as the laser cutters, are staff-operated for safety, with your files run through a simple job-submission process.

What You Can Use

• 3D Printing: Prusa-class 3D printers with Tinkercad, Fusion 360, and PrusaSlicer for models, parts, and prototypes.
• Laser Fabrication: xTool laser systems (P2S, F1 Ultra, F2 Ultra) for cutting and engraving wood, acrylic, leather, and more — staff-operated.
• Robotics: Unitree G1 EDU humanoid and Go2 Pro quadruped fleet for research, Vex robotic arms, FANUC robotic arm, demonstrations, and coursework.
• AR/VR: Meta Quest headsets with ENGAGE XR, Gravity Sketch, and Unity for immersive design and simulation.
• AI tools: Access to leading AI assistants (Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT) and support for integrating them into your work.

How To Get Started

1. Contact the Hub with a short description of your project and the equipment you have in mind.
2. Complete a brief safety and equipment orientation for any tools that require one.
3. Schedule time on the equipment or submit your design files for staff-operated fabrication.

What To Expect

• Orientation first: A one-time orientation unlocks self-directed use of eligible tools; staff-operated systems remain scheduled through the Hub.
• Materials: Standard consumables are provided; large-volume or specialty materials may need to be arranged in advance — ask when you scope the project.
• Support: Hub staff can advise on design, workflow, and settings so your first run is a productive one.

Build a hub-based project into your course and let our staff support your students through it.

What It Is

Turn an assignment into a making experience. You design a project that fits your course; Hub staff help your students bring it to life across the term — during class visits, open hours, or scheduled work sessions. This works well when the deliverable is a physical or digital artifact: a printed prototype, a laser-cut model, a programmed robot behavior, a virtual environment, or an AI-assisted solution to a problem in your field.

How It Works

• Co-designed: We co-plan the project scope, deliverables, and timeline so the making supports your academic goals — not the other way around.
• Supported, not outsourced: Students receive staff guidance on tools and technique while you own the grading and the intellectual content.
• Optional badge alignment: Projects can map to an Explorer, Specialist, or Innovator badge, giving students a credential alongside their grade.

Examples Across Disciplines

• Engineering or science: design, print, and test a functional part or lab apparatus.
• Business: prototype a product and pitch it or build an AI-assisted workflow for a venture.
• Humanities or history: recreate an artifact or historical site as a 3D print or virtual environment.
• Health sciences: build an anatomical model or a VR training simulation.

How To Get Started

1. Reach out before the semester begins (or as early as possible) with your course and the outcome you have in mind.
2. Work with Hub staff to scope deliverables, map them to available tools, and set a support schedule.
3. Share your assignment timeline so we can staff work sessions around your key dates.

What To Expect

• Plan ahead: Earlier is better — planning before the term starts gives students the smoothest experience.
• Clear division: You provide the assignment, rubric, and academic content; the Hub provides tools, instruction, and support.

Collaborate with Hub staff on custom workshops, interdisciplinary projects, events, and grants.

What It Is

For faculty who want to go deeper, the Innovation Hub is a partner in building something new. We co-develop curriculum and custom workshops, collaborate on research and interdisciplinary projects, support campus and community events, and align with grant-funded workforce initiatives. These partnerships are scoped individually and built around your goals and timeline.

Ways To Partner

• Custom curriculum: Design a workshop or badge pathway tailored to your program or department.
• Interdisciplinary projects: Bring together multiple disciplines around a shared making or technology challenge.
• Research collaboration: Collaborate on studies that use Hub robotics, fabrication, or immersive technology.
• Events and outreach: Co-host demonstrations, showcases, and outreach — from science festivals to community programs.
• Grants & workforce: Align coursework and credentials with workforce and grant initiatives, including federal upskilling and AI workforce efforts.

How To Get Started

1. Contact the Dean or Hub coordinator with your idea — even a rough one is enough to begin.
2. Meet for a discovery conversation to define goals, scope, roles, and resources.
3. Develop a short plan and timeline, then build it together.

What To Expect

• Custom by design: Partnerships are scoped case by case; complex collaborations need a longer runway, so start the conversation early.
• Shared effort: Hub staff bring technical and instructional expertise; you bring the disciplinary vision.